Vietnam
September 30, 2008
by Van Khoa,
Thanh Nien News via
SEAMEO SEARCA
Vietnam will trial genetically modified (GM) corn for animal
feed early next year and then possibly breed GM corn plants for
local farmers, an expert said Monday.
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Binh, executive vice director of the
Biotechnology Center of Ho Chi Minh City, said local farmers
would only be allowed to grow GM corn if, after two years of the
experimental crops, GM corn was found to be biologically and
environmentally safe.
Vietnam cannot plant GM corn now because no biological safety
regulations have been issued by the government, Binh said on the
sidelines of the "Biotechnology: Growing the Future" seminar,
co-organized by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the Biotechnology
Center.
Initially, GM corn would most likely be imported from the
Philippines, which has a similar climate to Vietnam, Binh said.
Local breeds of GM corn would later be developed, he said.
If Vietnamese farmers plant GM corn, they could earn US$100 a
hectare more than what they earn from normal corn, Binh said.
Currently, Vietnamese farmers harvest nearly four tons of normal
corn per hectare, while American farmers get nine to 11 tons per
hectare of GM corn, Binh said.
Vietnam imports about $500 million worth of corn each year. The
nation is expected to need about 5.5 million tons this year,
demand that is forecast to rise to eight million tons in 2010.
This year the country is expected to grow about four million
tons. |
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